THE RETURN OF BILL LEE

By Celia Cohen
Grapevine Political Writer

Bill Lee has left Fantasyland. Maybe not Tomorrowland.

Lee made his return Monday from Disney World to the
wonderful world of politics. He is free of the cone of
silence his family imposed so strictly for the vacation
that his cell phone was shut off and left behind, locked
in a safe. Literally locked in a safe.

The vault was so thick and recessed, not even voice
mail could penetrate it. The prisoners Lee sentenced
during his days as a judge probably had more
communication privileges than he did.

No matter. Not all the bans on cell phones, smoke
signals, carrier pigeons and mental telepathy could keep
the Delaware Republicans from sending Lee a giant
valentine.

They drafted him for governor during their convention
Saturday at Dewey Beach. Or was that Huey, Louie and
Dewey Beach?

The Republicans want Lee to run. He wants to run.
Concerns about financial and familial support for a
campaign -- which would be his third for governor --
kept him out of the race so far, but those worries
appear to be receding.

"The Republican convention changed the political
landscape," Lee said.

On the money front, it did not hurt that the
Republicans endorsed Charlie Copeland for lieutenant
governor. His stature as the state Senate minority
leader is a nice platform for raising money, but his
birth into the du Pont family is nicer. When Copeland
formed a political action committee two years ago, it
was christened with $25,000 from his father and $5,000
from former Gov. Pete du Pont.

On the home front, there are signs that Lee's family
is moving from unwillingness to reluctance, which is
probably past the midpoint on the road to acquiescence.
His son Brud, who was not along for the 11-day trip but
here in Delaware, monitored developments and got
involved enough to speak for his father at the
convention. It was all so stressful, Brud Lee lost eight
pounds.

"I was very proud of my son, who two weeks ago was
determined not to support a draft," Lee said.

The convention did not stop at endorsing a
Lee-Copeland ticket. It also shook up the party
leadership by forcing out Terry Strine, the state party
chair who has presided over a dreadful losing streak,
and replacing him with Tom Ross, the Wilmington party
chair who is a close ally of Lee.

"Quite frankly, Tom did more than anybody else to
engineer this," Lee said.

Lee still has not said yes to the draft, but he
clearly is leaning toward it to set up a race against
either Lt. Gov. John Carney or Treasurer Jack Markell,
whoever wins the Democratic nomination.

It does not appear to matter to Lee that the
Democrats are favored, what with the track record of
both their candidates and their 83,000-voter edge over
the Republicans. He has an opening after spending the
2004 election warning of the consequences of a second
term for Democratic Gov. Ruth Ann Minner, and -- bibbidi
bobbidi boo! -- there have been budget woes, an
engineering fiasco at the Indian River bridge, cancer
jitters and other failings.

"Needless to say, this is not a conventional
campaign. I feel much more relaxed than I did four years
ago. The draft movement has placed me in a stronger
position," Lee said.

"We've got meetings set up. We're going to run the
drill, and if the wheels don't fall off, we're headed in
the direction of a candidacy. This decision needs to be
made promptly."

Whatever happens, this has been a political journey
for the ages. In 2000, Lee was denied the party's
endorsement but pursued the nomination for governor,
anyway, only to lose the primary by a devastating 46
votes. In 2004, he won the endorsement with the approval
of 76 percent of the delegates but fell just short of
upsetting Minner, who was re-elected with 51 percent.

This time Lee never expected to run, but the
Republicans were left essentially candidate-less when
Alan Levin, the ex-owner of Harry Harry's drugstores,
walked away from the campaign he had under construction.
As the desperate party approached the convention, a
movement to draft Lee built.

Lee was endorsed by 81 percent of the delegates. It
could be called his best showing ever, except he did not
show -- an unorthodox strategy, but effective. "My son
suggested I go on vacation in October and November," Lee
quipped.